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Representatives from the city of Mitchell, South Dakota, recently approached DU seeking solutions for developing wetland habitat upstream of Lake Mitchell—one of the city's popular areas for wildlife and recreation. The reservoir is almost 90 years old, and is filled with sediment and phosphorus, leading to algal blooms and some nasty water conditions in mid-summer. It’s an environment certainly not ideal for the surrounding lake houses or any recreational activity. The City's solutions for the lake were multi-pronged, including actually draining the lake and excavating. But leaders were more interested in finding a solution that also addressed conservation on a watershed scale.
 
The City approached DU because a dam was not possible due to the low elevation change in the area, and it would cause flooding on properties in shallow portions of the lake. DU engineers came up with a plan to develop wetland habitats along Firesteel Creek, a tributary to Lake Mitchell, that would capture sediment and prevent future loading in the reservoir. DU completed the surveys, design, planning/permitting process, and construction management. The great part was the city of Mitchell paid for all construction, which is unique because DU did not have to go 'find the money.'
 
Areas along the shore will eventually fill in with natural wetland vegetation to reduce stream flow and capture sediment when the creek runs higher than average. All told, in a short window of time, DU created approximately 37 acres of wetland habitat that will also help filter and manage sediment loads and phosphorous levels, which will eventually lead to a cleaner and healthier Lake Mitchell.

 

Media Contact:
Ben Romans
208-761-7775
bromans@ducks.org